‘Gernika’, cinema of truth

That was my intention. Metacine. It becomes propaganda movie screen that becomes fiction and reach the reality of our character in shadows.

Are words of Koldo Serra , about his second film, 'Gernika' (2016) Ten years have passed since the interesting 'Backwoods' (2006) - a way to summarize the beginning of the film, which is a declaration of intent by the Basque director, a film buff blooded. A sequence that contains more than intentions, is a formal / thematic showcase where to walk the film in subsequent sections.

In the propaganda animation screen with the voice of Hugo Silva , a contextualization of the time in which the story takes place is done 'Gernika' . Suddenly the camera out of the picture, we are in a movie theater. The documentary gives way to fiction world in which through the fable tries reached the truth, not the exact reproduction of facts, but a palpable, felt and narrated by Serra truth with greater skill than his previous film.

A story to History

With a traveling back and through the always captivating darkness of a movie theater, the camera reaches the central character, Henry -the British actor James D'Arcy quite delivered in a tone charismatically desenfadado- that with his attitude, gabardine and hat, evokes the characters of classic black cinema. I have here another statement of intent, perhaps more subtle.

One of the most characteristic elements of Film Noir , which would the always thoughtful French critics, is the fate, the same as any military conflict contains obvious and logical reasons. This route, which the director shows exclusively with the camera, is a preamble, as a warning, the emotional journey of the tape.'Gernika' evolves from this symbolic moment, through a crescendo dramatic scale, although not sufficiently balanced.

The film has been screened at the Festival of Malaga , which has attracted the most attention among many of the films that are happening there. References've heard range from 'Titanic' (id., James Cameron, 1997), which would be a compliment to 'Pearl Harbour' (Id., Michael Bay, 2001), which would be an insult, even Star Wars because the description of the character of D'Arcy reminds Han Solo-indeed, a meeting of many previous characters, beautifully nuanced, that himself.

I've heard of love threesomes when the film is very clear that it is a love story of two bands, two, not three. And more than references to other films, which always exist in all cinematographic work -is a huge no - brainer, what I find is one flavor to another media type film forgotten. Comes to mind as a wonderful film 'Edge of Darkness' ( 'Edge of Darkness', Lewis Milestone, 1943), relatively speaking, of course.

Also love, movie buff, it is clear that Koldo Serra feels by authors like Steven Spielberg and Sergio Leone . The first catches some stylistic tics -the dance sequence, a tribute to Nazi 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' ( 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', 1981), or wrenching momentazo of Victor Clavijo - second capacity belittle the characters in his story in history, implying that these characters, their fears, their flaws, their joys and dreams, are actually part of a larger story, one that everyone remembers by bombing.

Let's not forget

In this painting, I never better, no objection to a roster of actors that are delivered as the soldier who is to fulfill its mission. If anything should be attributed to film a series of unnecessary underlining, and scenes step that actually left over, playing against a film that has it all in his head, and virtually endorses the work of Carlos Clavijo and Barney Cohen , thanks the use of a camera that is rarely still, while not succumbing to the dangers of easy virtuosity.

Besides the beauty of Maria Valverde -actriz of the camera is always love, no matter what haga-, 'Gernika' stands for the sequence of the bombing portentous. Approximately twenty minutes of horror, filmed with an enviable precision, without ever losing the reference of the characters. In that instant, the director also succeeds in showing the absurdity of any military confrontation.

Does the character of Irene Escolar , secondary strangely in the narrative, but with a simple plot detail -the detail, so dear Leone, again- plus a camera movement showing a baby carriage, used to talk the future not providing any war. A war that, like all others , is an injustice in big letters that should occupy headlines around newspaper that claims to be beyond ideologies. With head held high, as Henry.